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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
45 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Stewed fish is one of the stewed dishes that is rustic yet rich, delicious, and goes well with rice. If you are too familiar with the usual ways of stewing fish, today let’s roll up our sleeves with TasteVN and learn how to make this unique and delicious stewed fish with figs that is both tasty and simple!
Ingredients for Stewed Fish with Figs Serves 4
Carp meat 200 gr Figs 6 fruits Pork fat 50 gr Turmeric 1/2 bulb Ginger 1/4 bulb Green onions 4 stalks Chili 1 fruit Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Chili powder a little Coloring sauce a little Common seasonings a little (MSG/salt/ground pepper)
Product Information
- This article uses stainless steel pot with 5 layers and glass lid 24 cm Sunhouse SHG24224 for cooking fish. The 5-layer stainless steel pot is made from shiny 201 stainless steel material, which is less prone to oxidation and safe for cooking.
- The handle is wide and sturdy, making it easy to grip and move. The transparent glass lid is convenient for observing the food inside.
- Not stopping there, this pot can also be used on gas stoves, induction stoves, and infrared stoves.
- If you are looking for a pot to prepare delicious and attractive dishes for your family, then get this one right away to have a useful assistant!
How to Choose Fresh Ingredients
How to Choose Fresh Carp
- To buy fresh carp, you should choose thick-bodied fish, evenly shaped, with bright scales, and no bruises.
- Choose fish that have a long, slender body; they do not need to be heavy because they are river carp, which will be very chewy and sweet when eaten.
- Avoid choosing fish that are too large with swollen bellies, as they may contain a lot of fat or eggs, making them less sweet.
- For prepared fish, choose pieces that are elastic, look fresh and firm, have no color change, no unpleasant smell, and the fish’s head still has fresh blood without any slimy discharge.
How to choose delicious crunchy figs
- You should choose to buy figs that are still intact on the bunch, with fresh stems and uniform size.
- If the figs are separated from the bunch, choose those with vibrant green color, round shape, a dimpled top, and a pink-tinted interior, as these will be the freshest and tastiest.
- Avoid choosing figs that are wilted, have many dark spots, or are bruised, as these are figs that have been picked for a long time and are no longer fresh.
- To make the fish stew with figs taste better, you should use glutinous figs because they are sweeter, crunchier, and less astringent than regular figs.
How to prepare Fish Stew with Figs
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Prepare the ingredients and briefly fry the fish
After buying the carp, you need to scrape off the scales, cut off the head, tail, and internal organs, soak the fish in diluted salt water for about 15 – 20 minutes, then rinse with clean water and let it drain.
How to clean fish and effectively eliminate fishy smell- Method 1: After cleaning the fish, cut it into bite-sized pieces and soak it in rice water for about 15 – 20 minutes, then rinse it clean with water to remove the fishy smell.
- Method 2: Soak the fish for about 5 minutes in water mixed with a few tablespoons of alcohol or white vinegar, then rinse it clean with water.
- Method 3: Soak the fish in water with a few slices of smashed ginger for about 5 minutes, then rinse it clean with water to eliminate the fishy smell.
Use a knife to cut the fish into bite-sized pieces. Soak the pork fat in salt water for about 15 minutes, rinse thoroughly with water, then cut into bite-sized pieces about 1 finger thick.
Peel the ginger, rinse it clean, and slice it. Clean the turmeric and then mince or crush it. Cut off the roots of the green onions, wash them thoroughly with water, and then cut them into sections. Cut the figs into quarters, soak them in diluted salt water, and rinse thoroughly to remove the seeds.
Place a pot on the stove, add the pork fat, and fry it over medium heat to render the fat. Next, add the green onion tops and 1 chili pepper and sauté until fragrant. When the onion and chili are aromatic, add the fish and fry both sides briefly until firm, then turn off the heat.
Tip: It is advisable to sear the fish before marinating it for braising to help the fish flesh become firmer and not fall apart, while also evenly absorbing the seasoning during the braising process.
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Marinate the fish
Next, marinate the fish with 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, a little ground pepper, a little chili powder, and a pinch of coloring sauce. Mix well and marinate the fish for about 20 minutes to absorb the seasoning.
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Cook stewed fish with fig
Add finely chopped figs and turmeric to the pot of fish, stir well. Place the pot on the stove, turn on high heat and cook for about 15 minutes until the ingredients are well blended.
Next, add 2 cups of boiling water to the pot, reduce the heat and continue to stew for about 45 more minutes until the water in the pot reduces and thickens.
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Final product
The stewed fish with fig when completed will have an attractive brown color and a fragrant aroma that invites diners.
When eaten, you will feel the tenderness and richness of the fish, infused with deep flavors, combined with the sweet, crisp bitterness of the fig, which is incredibly unique. This dish, when served with hot rice and dipped with boiled vegetables, will be absolutely wonderful!
So we have completed the dish stewed fish with fig leaves that is unique, delicious, attractive, and extremely suitable for rice. Let’s get into the kitchen to try the recipe that TasteVN shares with you to make your meal more refreshing! Wish you success!
